Darkness.
That was the first thing Priyanshu saw.
Pitch black. Endless. Silent.
Then, out of nowhere—
[DING!]
❖ Welcome, Host.❖ You have been selected by the Hidden Villain System.❖ World: Cultivation Realm – Arcadia Continent❖ Mission: Control the world from the shadows. Do not become a hero. Do not die like a side character.❖ Role: Background Extra — the 4th son of the Yadav Clan, unknown, unimportant, ignored.
Priyanshu blinked.
"...What?"
He remembered sitting in his dark room, reading novels on his phone—main character gets system, becomes overpowered, gets girls, saves world, kills bad guys...
And now?
He had woken up in a new body. With a system. In a world of swords, spirit stones, and soul beasts.
But instead of being the chosen hero or genius young master...
He was nobody.
The "other" son.
The one who appears in Chapter 5 just to die and fuel the protagonist's rage.
The one with no screen time.
Until now.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
❖ Hidden Villain System Booting...❖ Identity Confirmed: Priyanshu Yadav❖ System Rules:➤ You are NOT allowed to be the protagonist.➤ You must never reveal your full power publicly.➤ You must manipulate the world from behind the scenes.➤ Rewards are based on how much chaos you cause… without getting caught.➤ Bonus rewards for fooling "Righteous Characters."
❖ First Mission Unlocked:➤ Act like a harmless background character for 7 days.➤ Reward: Shadow Talent (Rank A), 500 Chaos Points, 1 Loyal Shadow Follower
Priyanshu smirked.
"So this is my role now... a villain who never gets blamed. A ghost who controls everything but takes credit for nothing."
He cracked his neck, adjusting to the new body.
It was young — maybe 16 — with black hair, calm eyes, and a presence so average you'd forget him the moment you looked away.
Perfect.
He looked around. He was inside a lavish hall, sitting at the corner of a long family table. Golden plates, spirit fruits, shining weapons, and dozens of disciples laughing and showing off their strength.
At the head of the table sat Lord Rudraksha Yadav, head of the prestigious Yadav Clan — a peak Soul Emperor.
Priyanshu's new father.
His brothers?
Oh, they were all talented monsters.
Eldest Brother: Aryan — Earth Realm Genius, current sect prodigy
Second Brother: Rudra — Lightning Spirit Physique, golden child of the clan
Third Brother: Kunal — Cultivation madman, trained by a sect elder since birth
And Priyanshu?
Fourth son. Trash. Weak. Average.
Just the way he wanted it.
"Fourth son, why are you so quiet?"
A loud voice boomed. It was the family elder, chuckling, pointing at Priyanshu.
"Do you even cultivate, or are you just here for the free food?"
Everyone laughed.
Even the maids.
Even the guards.
But Priyanshu just smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.
"Haha… Sorry, Elder. I'm just not as talented as my brothers."
Inside, though, he was laughing.
System Notification:
✔ You successfully acted like background trash.✔ Progress: Day 1/7✔ +100 Chaos Points✔ Righteous Characters fooled: 4✔ Bonus: +1 Hidden Reputation
That night, while the entire clan slept, Priyanshu quietly slipped out of his room.
He walked to a cave near the cliffside behind the estate.
This was supposed to be a forbidden training ground. But the guards were lazy. They never checked this place.
He knelt, placed his hand on the stone, and whispered:
"System… open Shadow Shop."
[SHADOW SHOP – OPENED]
You have: 600 Chaos PointsAvailable Items:
Shadow Talent (Rank A) – 500 Points
Basic Formation Scroll – 100 Points
Poisoned Hairpin – 150 Points
Shadow Summoning Token – 300 Points
Forbidden Spell: Puppet Control – 700 Points (LOCKED)
Priyanshu didn't hesitate.
✔ Purchased: Shadow Talent (Rank A)
A surge of black mist entered his body. He felt his senses sharpen, his presence dim, his footsteps become completely silent.
His body could now blend into shadows naturally.
❖ New Passive Skill: [Invisible Movement Lv. 1]❖ You leave no footsteps, no scent, and no aura while walking.❖ You can hide even from Heaven-Eyes cultivators (Under Gold Rank).
"Perfect."
Now the game could begin.
Day 2 – Cultivation Hall
Priyanshu sat at the back, pretending to struggle with basic Qi circulation while his brothers showed off.
"Watch me, father!" said Rudra, his lightning aura crackling as he shattered a stone pillar.
"Good," Lord Rudraksha nodded proudly.
Priyanshu tried to circulate Qi slowly… and "accidentally" coughed blood.
Everyone burst into laughter again.
But inside…
System Notification:
✔ You successfully acted like weak trash again.✔ Progress: Day 2/7✔ Righteous Characters Fooled: 6✔ +120 Chaos Points
That night, he returned to the secret cave.
"Open Shadow Summon."
✔ Purchased: Shadow Summoning Token✔ Token Used.
A circle of black fire appeared. Out stepped a girl in black robes, veil covering her face. Her eyes were crimson.
❖ Name: Anaya❖ Rank: Spirit General (Hidden)❖ Loyalty: 100%❖ Role: First Shadow Agent
"Master," she said, kneeling, "I await your orders."
Priyanshu smiled.
"Start building a secret base in the eastern forest. Hire rogue cultivators, mercenaries, or even bandits. If they're loyal to coin or chaos, we want them."
Anaya nodded and vanished into the mist.
Late Night – Priyanshu's Inner Thoughts
He looked at the moon from his window.
In just two days, he had created a loyal agent, gained new power, and begun laying the foundation of a secret force.
And no one had a clue.
They still thought he was the dumb fourth son.
The extra.
The forgotten.
"Let them laugh today," he whispered, "because when they kneel tomorrow... they won't even know who they're bowing to."